If we wanted to fly back to UK while abroad in Moho??

[Westerham Womble]

Just a little forward planning, renewed our insurance with Safeguard and they won’t insure a motorhome if you’re not in the same country as the vehicle.
We are thinking of a 3 month trip round Italy and the Balkans next autumn but would want to fly back and see family for a few days each month.
Sure we’re not alone but can’t find any info, could anyone point us in the right direction and share any similar experiences of how they managed it please.
Ta in advance
WW

 

[Whitebirdyman]

Maybe the simplest answer would be for the two of you to take turns flying back to see the family, so one of you always stays with the motorhome. Depending on how big the family is and their circumstances, you could perhaps take the opposite approach and fly them out to see you?

 

[monzer]

I've done it plenty but then my van aint worth that much if anything were to happen to it and Insurance didn't pay out.

Then again if something happened to the van I wouldn't be telling insurance that I was in a different country.

Different strokes for different folk I guess.

 

[TM59]

Have travelled home several times mainly from Spain and Portugal. Basically we took a risk leaving the van. Our method of reducing that risk was to book onto a good site a few days prior to travel. There was always a close neighbour who you could tell you had to travel home. Normally they would keep a loose eye on the van. There are always people coming and going on the larger sites. Not fool proof but so far has worked for us. Normally leave van for about a week.

 

[monzer]

Have travelled home several times mainly from Spain and Portugal. Basically we took a risk leaving the van. Our method of reducing that risk was to book onto a good site a few days prior to travel. There was always a close neighbour who you could tell you had to travel home. Normally they would keep a loose eye on the van. There are always people coming and going on the larger sites. Not fool proof but so far has worked for us. Normally leave van for about a week.

Is that not just a more expensive version of a storage company? I'd probably feel safer leaving my van either inside or outside at a storage company than leave it unattended on a site.

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[GAVLAD]

I’m sure that with Comfort insurance they allow you so many days unattended and there after you have to inform them with a view to paying a supplement.
Have you got a cooling off period with Safeguard?
Is it worth having another ring round?
I think a lot may depend on where you are planning to leave the Motorhome whilst flying back. If it’s a secure compound, they may look favourably on you.

 

[TM59]

Ag

Is that not just a more expensive version of a storage company? I'd probably feel safer leaving my van either inside or outside at a storage company than leave it unattended on a site.

Agree but are hard to find.

 

[Westerham Womble]

We are ok with this years insurance as we aren’t planning on staying away for longer than a month at a time in the next 12 months. It’s Autumn 2020 we are planning for.
Had thought about a site, seems to be options near airports in Spain too but that’s not where we want to go.
Found a dry dock that doubles as motorhome storage in Croatia but no idea if we can get insurance.
Just hopeful others have more info.
Appreciate we are planning some way ahead ?

 

[Crazylegs]

Comfort can cover you if perhaps your parked at the airport or even on a site whilst you travel home, but they are not very keen. I’ve heard it said that a little white lie about a family emergency or suchlike can tip the scales.

 

[Gcs]

Have just done the very same thing about a month ago.
Left the van at a secure storage depot near Verona while we returned to the UK for a week. All agreed with comfort Insurance who had to approve the storage facility before agreeing to continue cover.
They charged me £40 for the privilege of doing so, the cost of storing the van for the week was 35 Euros........

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[chaser]

Does this apply the other way around if you fly away to another country and leave the van at home

 

[Lenny HB]

Does this apply the other way around if you fly away to another country and leave the van at home

Normally only when the van is away from where it is normally stored., so you are OK.

 

[mikebeaches]

Yes, last winter we kept our van in Spain, in a secure garage 2 miles from Alicante airport, with free shuttle whenever we wanted. Also, hook-up connected on request to keep the batteries conditioned. German family-owned business. Van is always positioned ready to drive straight out forwards - no manoeuvring required on collection. And all much more secure than sitting on my drive at home.

Insurance is the challenge - spoke to dozens of companies, but none wanted to know about storage outside the UK - so much for being in the EU... (just!). Nearly lost the will to live.

Until I eventually found a broker that said they had an underwriter who would probably help - and sure enough they were right. We can come and go as we wish, and fly backwards and forwards whenever we want. Planning to do it again this winter. I recently renewed the insurance and negotiated a continental trip length of up to 240 days.

Broker: https://advanceinsurance.co.uk/motorhome-insurance/

Underwriter: https://www.ageas.co.uk/

(apparently the parent company is Belgium's largest motor insurer, and in the UK they used to trade under the brand name 'Fortis' - which I'd used for car insurance in the past)

 

[peterc10]

I’m sure that with Comfort insurance they allow you so many days unattended and there after you have to inform them with a view to paying a supplement.
Have you got a cooling off period with Safeguard?
Is it worth having another ring round?
I think a lot may depend on where you are planning to leave the Motorhome whilst flying back. If it’s a secure compound, they may look favourably on you.

With Comfort you can only leave it for 48 hours. Anything more and you have to notify them in advance to get their agreement.

 

[mikebeaches]

With Comfort you can only leave it for 48 hours. Anything more and you have to notify them in advance to get their agreement.

I was insured with Comfort for 8 years, and very good they were for 'normal' motorhome and breakdown cover. And initially they said no, when at renewal I explained what I wanted - ie to leave the van garaged in Spain. After much backwards and forwards, they eventually offered me a deal... of sorts.

They risk-assessed the storage garage and the various security arrangements; they wanted to know exactly what dates the van would be stored and when it would be on the road; they were very strict about the 'six month rule' indicating the van would be uninsured if it spent a day longer than that in Spain (I'm not sure that's factually accurate, but it's what they told me). And finally, they wanted to triple the premium to circa £1k.

The insurance I have with Ageas does not have any restrictions about when we come and go with the van (just as if it was at home). And whilst the Comfort requirement wasn't a total deal-breaker, it was a hassle meaning if ever we wanted to adjust our plans and fly on different days we'd have to think about notifying the insurance company every time.

Added to which, the insurance premium with Ageas is much more reasonable - less than £400, as I recall.

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[hymerman]

I lived in Saudi Arabia and obviously had Saudi insurance on my car , if in Spain for a few months couldn't you get Spanish insurance which would then cover you.

 

[mikebeaches]

I lived in Saudi Arabia and obviously had Saudi insurance on my car , if in Spain for a few months couldn't you get Spanish insurance which would then cover you.

That was my fallback option if I couldn't arrange cover with a UK-based insurer.

I had identified one or two Spanish underwriters that I would have contacted.

 

[hymerman]

Further to my last message I just had a thought that you may need a permanent address in whichever country you are trying to get insurance in .
Then , how do the travelling community obtain insurance?